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Dear Guam Chamber Members,
Håfa Adai! As Chairman of the Guam Chamber of Commerce, I am writing to encourage your immediate engagement in what will be one of the most consequential election cycles for our island’s economic future. Guam’s economy is at an important inflection point. While current growth is being supported by military construction and federal spending, we must recognize that this activity is temporary in nature. Significant Department of Defense investment - projected at more than $7 billion through 2028 - has provided a meaningful boost to employment and economic activity.
However, when we look beyond this construction-driven expansion, the underlying condition of our broader private sector reveals increasing vulnerability. Tourism, historically the backbone of our economy, remains well below pre-pandemic levels, with visitor arrivals still materially lagging behind 2019 benchmarks. If we were to remove or normalize the impact of the military buildup, the data clearly indicates that much of the private sector is still in recovery mode, uneven, and fragile. Guam continues to rely heavily on external drivers - tourism, federal investment, and global economic conditions - highlighting the need for strong, thoughtful leadership that understands and supports the business community.
For this reason, the upcoming gubernatorial and senatorial elections are critically important. The individuals elected will play a direct role in shaping policies that influence:
- Business growth and investment
- Workforce development
- Tourism recovery and competitiveness
- Infrastructure and regulatory efficiency
- Overall economic sustainability
Simply put, the future health of Guam’s private sector depends on leadership that is aligned with and supportive of our business community.
Your Participation is Critical
To ensure that the voice of the business community is clearly heard, I strongly encourage you—and your leadership teams—to attend both upcoming Guam Chamber Gubernatorial Forums:
- Republican Candidates Forum – Wednesday, June 24
- Democratic Candidates Forum – Thursday, June 25
Your presence matters. A strong turnout sends a clear message that the private sector is engaged, unified, and expects thoughtful, actionable solutions. A full room is not symbolic - it is impactful. Please make every effort to attend both sessions and bring members of your management team and staff.
Engage Your Workforce
Equally important is what happens within your organizations. I encourage each of you to begin discussions with your employees about:
- The importance of this election
- How public policy decisions impact businesses and jobs
- The role each individual plays through civic participation
We also recommend assessing how many of your employees are currently registered to vote.
To support you in this effort, the Guam Chamber will:
- Provide voter registration assistance at your place of business, upon request
- Offer on-site voter registration at both gubernatorial forums
Our goal is simple: to ensure that every eligible member of our business community has the opportunity to participate in shaping Guam’s future.
This is a defining moment for our Island. While construction and federal investment have carried our economy in the near term, long-term prosperity will depend on strong private-sector growth, a resilient tourism industry, and leadership that understands how to create the conditions for businesses to succeed. The Chamber remains committed to advocating for policies that strengthen our business environment, but we need your active participation to ensure our collective voice is heard.
Thank you for your leadership, your engagement, and your continued commitment to Guam.
Si Yu’os Ma’åse,
Ed Untalan
Chairman of the Board
Guam Chamber of Commerce
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